Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-10
CROP CoNDirroNs.
Monthly Report or the Department
OF Agriculture.
IBy ,elerraph 70 the DIspsich.l

tBy telegraph 10 the Dispstch.l
WASHINGTON, April 9.--The report OF
the Department Of Agriculture for
April relates to the condition of winter
grain. and the comparative healthful-
ness OF farm animals. The returns
show that the condition OF the soil at
the time of seeding wheat was some
what unfavorable in the States of the
Atlantic and Gulf coast, owing 10 The
drought during the late summer and
autumn, most severe in o portion OF
Pennsylvania, in Maryland and Vir-
ginis, and in parts of Texas. The
same unfavorable conditions prevail
ed in Western Missouri and in
Kansas. Continued dry weather made
ploughing difficult, seeding late, and,
in localities where it was unbroken
when the winter set in. termination
was slow and the fall growth small in
tho great wheat States of the central
West from Tennessee to Missouri The
seed4bed in greater part of the area
WIS in favorable condition, and, with
local exceptions, the plant made good
growth before going into winter quar-
tiers. On the Pacific slope the
curly seeding-time was dry, but rains
came later, and the whole breadth Was
put in fair condition, though somewhat
after the usual date. The covering Of
snow during the early portion Of the
winter was better than usual over O
large part Of the wheat area, but there
ere from many sections complaints of
scanty protection during the very try
ing weather since February 18th. The
month of March was the most severe
for series of years the temperature
being below the average over the whole
wheat area east of the Mississippi
river; and alternate freezing and thaw-
ing wrought serious damage to bare
fields, especially in bottom and poorly
drained lands. Pennsylvania, Virginia,
and Ohio suffered severely from this
inclemency. The general average of
the condition is SO, the same as in
1881, and higher than at the same
date in 1884 and 1885, when it was
50 and 76 respectively. The April con-
dition of last year was 92.5, which was
still further improved by favorable
weather during the month. The ave-
RACES for the principal Statesare New
York, 81; Pennsylvania, 10; Mary
land, 81; Virginia, 70; Texas, 10;
Tennessee, "a; Kentucky, 81; Ohio,
70 Michigan, 90 (; Indiana. 90; Hi
nois, 50; Missouri, %; Kansas, SO;
California, so Oregon, 90. The dam
age from the Hessian fly is compare
lively unnoticed. Its presence is men,
toned in from one to four counties in
New York Texas, Tennessee, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, and Michigan.
Rye has withstood the unfavorable
meteorological conditions better than
wheat, the average condition being 92,
against SO at the same date a year ago.
The returns of the condition of farm
animals show loss of prime amounting
to 13.4 per cent, or over five and ahalf
million, and indicates continued wide
spread prevalence of hog cholera. The
losses of sheep amount to per cent.
of cattle $40 per cent. The losses of
cattle are heaviest in the South and on
the ranges of the for West from 3 to
per cent. /; while in sections where
shelter is provided and better care
taken it amounts to only 2! to per
, emit. The loss among horses as usual
IS very small, amounting for the whole
todntry to less than seven tenths OF
y Cr cent.